Black Friday: NordVPN warns of increased online scams and guides how to protect your virtual purchases  

Black Friday, one of the most anticipated dates of global trade, had its origin in the United States, but quickly became a worldwide phenomenon.In 2023, Brazilian retail recorded a turnover of R$ 6.1 billion during the event, which represents an increase of 16% compared to the previous year, according to data from Ebit/Nielsen. The growth is not only in sales volume, but also in the amount of online consumers: about 85% of connected Brazilians they said they intended to take advantage of the event's offerings, according to research by the Google. 

With tempting offers and enticing promotions, the date also attracts digital criminals, who take advantage of increased online traffic to enforce fraud, steal personal and financial data, and fool inattentive shoppers NordVPN, a global leader in cybersecurity, conducted a survey of 1,000 Brazilians, between 18 and 74 years old, revealing that the WhatsApp it was pointed out as the main channel for scams, with 81% of respondents having received an attempted fraud in the last two years. 

According to the results, people of older generations and men were the most vulnerable to scams involving fake online stores or fraudulent products.On the other hand, members of generations Y and X were more likely to receive bogus job offers, reinforcing the need for increased attention in digital environments. 

Among the most frequent scams, receiving fake links to login pages was pointed out as the main problem, with 47% of Generation X participants (44 to 59 years) being affected, followed by Baby Boomers (60 to 74 years), with 41%. Women in particular were heavily targeted in this type of scam, with 43% of respondents reporting receiving fake links, compared to 39% of men. 

In addition, scams involving fraudulent online stores or fake products also stood out, affecting 47% of Generation X individuals and 37% of Baby Boomers.Men (37%) reported being hit harder by this type of fraud than women (32%). 

Scams through calls or fake messages from customers, technical support centers or banks were also widely cited. About 37% of Baby Boomers fell into this type of scam, followed by 31% of younger generations.In addition to the aforementioned scams, other types such as credit card cloning (20%), fake boletos (28%), coupon and prize fraud (16%) and even fake donations to charity (15%) were mentioned by a significant portion of respondents, highlighting the wide range of deceit techniques used by their victims. 

And the number of scams tends to grow with the arrival of Black Friday. According to data from the Forter, fraud prevention platform, the number of scams in online transactions increases by up to 60% nordvpn also points out that there is a growth in phishing attempts, on websites and emails, as well as in the distribution of malware focused on catching consumers eager for discounts. 

During Black Friday, cybercriminals take advantage of the rush of consumers to deceive them. Among the most common scams, we highlight: 

• Phishing: Emails and messages that pose as major retailers use fake links, where consumers are directed to fraudulent websites that collect personal information. 
• Fake sites: Criminals create websites that mimic real stores, offering products at low prices to lure victims. After purchase, the products will never be delivered. 
• Fake discount coupons: Many scammers offer fake discount coupons to collect personal information or trick consumers into accessing fraudulent pages. 
• Fraud in payment: Transactions via links or unofficial payment methods are risky. Criminals can deflect payment and the consumer will never receive the product. 

Essential care when buying online 

Before making any online purchase, NordVPN recommends a few security measures that can help prevent fraud: 

1. Use a reliable VPN: NordVPN creates an additional layer of protection by encrypting your connection and preventing hackers from intercepting your personal and financial data. 
2. Be wary of overly generous promotions: Offers with extremely low prices can be scams. Always check the reputation of the store and seek comments from other consumers. 
3. Avoid public Wi-Fi when conducting transactions: Public networks are easy targets for criminals who intercept unprotected information. Prefer secure networks or use a VPN to secure your connection. 
4. Check if the site is secure: Prefer sites that have the security lock (HTTPS) and provide clear and reliable contact information.